disrespecting Chet was something else. Bobby jogged over to Peter Lange, the offensive coach who was currently running drills, and fell into line. He may not be able to outrun Colson Farley, but he’d still give each practice everything he had.
* * * *
Chet looked for Bobby after practice but he was nowhere to be found. He knocked on Julian’s door and stuck his head in. “Have you seen Bobby?”
“Yeah. He told me to tell you he’d meet you at your place.” Julian stood and grabbed his gym bag.
“Thanks.”
Chet started to leave when Julian stopped him. “There’s already some bad blood between Bobby Ray and Farley.”
“Yeah, I kinda noticed. I’ll talk to Bobby about it this evening.” Chet hated to do it, but Bobby needed to understand he was the new guy.
“Yo,” Julian said, calling Chet back once again.
“What?”
“From what I could tell earlier, the issue’s Farley’s to get over, not Bobby Ray’s.”
“What do you mean? What issue?” Chet asked.
“Farley knows about the two of you. I heard him talking shit in the locker room earlier. I shut it down, but it’ll no doubt start up again.”
“Thanks.” No wonder Bobby hadn’t stayed around to wait for Chet. He went back into his office and shouldered his duffle before heading out to his SUV. He noticed Farley in the parking lot talking to a few of the other players. It took a lot of willpower to get into his vehicle without causing a scene. “Shit,” he mumbled once he’d closed the SUV door. One of his jobs as a coach was to make sure his players were a team on and off the field. The bad blood already brewing between Bobby and Farley could mean trouble if it wasn’t nipped in the bud. Unfortunately, it sounded like Farley was in the wrong in this particular situation, but if he tried to talk to the junior running back it would no doubt come off like he was playing favourites.
Chet pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards home. He’d known from the start dating a player would land him in hot water, so why the hell was he surprised the water was already starting to heat up?
* * * *
Chet took the hamburgers off the grill and slid them onto buns before carrying the platter to the outdoor table. “Come and sit down,” he told Bobby.
Bobby turned off the hose he’d been using to water Chet’s flowers and joined him. The scene was so incredibly domestic it warmed Chet’s heart. He watched Bobby pull out a chair and sit down, watching every move. Why couldn’t a future with Bobby be easy?
Bobby cleared his throat. “Are you mad at me?”
“No,” Chet said honestly. “I was just thinking about how good—natural—it felt to have you here like this.”
“It’s everything I’ve ever wanted,” Bobby whispered.
Chet picked up his burger and took a bite. He gestured to Bobby’s hamburger which was still sitting untouched. “Eat up.”
Bobby pushed his plate towards the centre of the table and leant his muscled forearms on the mosaic top. “If something was to happen, and I lost my scholarship, could the money go to Chase?”
“Why Chase? What’s going on between the two of you?” he asked, jealousy getting the better of him.
“Nothing outside friendship. I’ve watched him, and I can tell you he’s better than Koby. But he’s working a full-time job and trying to practice. Soon he’ll also have classes to worry about. How long do you think he’ll be able to keep it up? He’s the one who has the ability to go pro. He loves the game like I never have. He’s the one I’d pin my hopes on if I were you.”
“You make it sound like I want you to go pro for me, but that’s not the case. I just don’t want you to give something up because you’re afraid of it.”
“Afraid?” Bobby sighed and reached for Chet’s hand. “There are only two things I’m afraid of—losing you and not graduating. If I can somehow manage to accomplish those two things I’ll have achieved
* * * *
Chet looked for Bobby after practice but he was nowhere to be found. He knocked on Julian’s door and stuck his head in. “Have you seen Bobby?”
“Yeah. He told me to tell you he’d meet you at your place.” Julian stood and grabbed his gym bag.
“Thanks.”
Chet started to leave when Julian stopped him. “There’s already some bad blood between Bobby Ray and Farley.”
“Yeah, I kinda noticed. I’ll talk to Bobby about it this evening.” Chet hated to do it, but Bobby needed to understand he was the new guy.
“Yo,” Julian said, calling Chet back once again.
“What?”
“From what I could tell earlier, the issue’s Farley’s to get over, not Bobby Ray’s.”
“What do you mean? What issue?” Chet asked.
“Farley knows about the two of you. I heard him talking shit in the locker room earlier. I shut it down, but it’ll no doubt start up again.”
“Thanks.” No wonder Bobby hadn’t stayed around to wait for Chet. He went back into his office and shouldered his duffle before heading out to his SUV. He noticed Farley in the parking lot talking to a few of the other players. It took a lot of willpower to get into his vehicle without causing a scene. “Shit,” he mumbled once he’d closed the SUV door. One of his jobs as a coach was to make sure his players were a team on and off the field. The bad blood already brewing between Bobby and Farley could mean trouble if it wasn’t nipped in the bud. Unfortunately, it sounded like Farley was in the wrong in this particular situation, but if he tried to talk to the junior running back it would no doubt come off like he was playing favourites.
Chet pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards home. He’d known from the start dating a player would land him in hot water, so why the hell was he surprised the water was already starting to heat up?
* * * *
Chet took the hamburgers off the grill and slid them onto buns before carrying the platter to the outdoor table. “Come and sit down,” he told Bobby.
Bobby turned off the hose he’d been using to water Chet’s flowers and joined him. The scene was so incredibly domestic it warmed Chet’s heart. He watched Bobby pull out a chair and sit down, watching every move. Why couldn’t a future with Bobby be easy?
Bobby cleared his throat. “Are you mad at me?”
“No,” Chet said honestly. “I was just thinking about how good—natural—it felt to have you here like this.”
“It’s everything I’ve ever wanted,” Bobby whispered.
Chet picked up his burger and took a bite. He gestured to Bobby’s hamburger which was still sitting untouched. “Eat up.”
Bobby pushed his plate towards the centre of the table and leant his muscled forearms on the mosaic top. “If something was to happen, and I lost my scholarship, could the money go to Chase?”
“Why Chase? What’s going on between the two of you?” he asked, jealousy getting the better of him.
“Nothing outside friendship. I’ve watched him, and I can tell you he’s better than Koby. But he’s working a full-time job and trying to practice. Soon he’ll also have classes to worry about. How long do you think he’ll be able to keep it up? He’s the one who has the ability to go pro. He loves the game like I never have. He’s the one I’d pin my hopes on if I were you.”
“You make it sound like I want you to go pro for me, but that’s not the case. I just don’t want you to give something up because you’re afraid of it.”
“Afraid?” Bobby sighed and reached for Chet’s hand. “There are only two things I’m afraid of—losing you and not graduating. If I can somehow manage to accomplish those two things I’ll have achieved
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